Chapter 2
As I walked out of the hospital, my phone wouldn't stop buzzing.
I didn't even bother to check who was calling, just swiped them all away without a second thought.
By the twelfth call, I finally picked up.
"Emily! What the hell are you up to?" Richard shouted, his voice was low and furious.
He was practically growling, trying to keep his voice down.
He asked, "Where's the medicine? Where did you hide it?"
I sneered.
I replied, "Richard, what do you want with the meds that keep me alive?"
He replied, "I was just worried you might misplace it. Those meds cost a fortune. What if something happened to them?"
His tone softened right away.
He said, "Come on, Emily, don't be upset. I'm just looking out for you."
I replied, "You're just worried about how much my meds cost, aren't you?"
I cut him off, my voice icy.
I continued asking, "Richard, are you planning to swipe my meds and make a quick buck?"
There was a dead silence on the other end.
After a long pause, he snapped, his voice thick with anger and embarrassment.
He said, "Why are you so paranoid? I'm your husband. Would I ever hurt you?"
"Absolutely," I said coldly, then hung up without a second thought.
My phone buzzed again. This time, it was Rachel.
Her voice was all sweet and syrupy, and it made my skin crawl.
She said, "Emily, it's me, Rachel."
"I have no idea who you are," I said coldly.
She whined playfully into the phone, "Oh, come on, Emily, don't be so cold. I'm Richard's student; you know, I've been to your house before.
"Richard said you're sick. Can I drop by and see you?"
I replied, "Absolutely not."
I shot her down without a second thought.
I continued saying, "And quit calling me Emily. We are not that close."
"But Richard said that," Rachel cooed, trying to sound all innocent.
I cut her off, my voice icy, "What Richard says doesn't matter.
"Rachel, stay away from my husband. Or else, don't make me get nasty."
With that, I hung up and blocked her number on the spot.
My phone finally went silent.
I slumped onto a roadside bench and closed my eyes.
Back then, I'd just be sitting at home, waiting for Richard to come back and explain himself.
Instead, he'd just come home and start blaming me, acting all self-righteous.
He said, "Emily, you just hate it when I'm nice to other people.
"Rachel's just a kid. What's there to be jealous of?"
Back then, I was just crying and apologizing, thinking everything was my fault.
Now that I think about it, I can't believe how ridiculous I was.
My phone rang again, this time from an unknown number.
I picked up, and Richard's voice came through, sounding desperate.
He said, "Emily, I messed up, alright? Please, just come home."
"I'm out handling something," I said flatly.
He replied, "What could be more important than your health? Where's your medicine? Bring it back right now."
Richard sounded increasingly panicked.
He asked, "What if something happens to you?"
"What, are you just waiting for me to get sick?" I snapped.
My words were laced with biting sarcasm.
"I didn't mean it like that," Richard blurted out.
Richard was clearly flustered now.
He said, "I'm just worried about you. That medicine is super important; how could you be so careless with it?"
"I put it in the safest place possible," I said flatly.
I stood up and flagged down a cab.
"Richard, if you actually care about me, then keep your distance from Rachel," I said, my voice like ice.
"Here you go again. Nothing is going on between Rachel and me," Richard shouted.
He was so worked up, his voice practically jumped an octave.
"Really? Nothing at all between you two?" I shot back.
I sneered.
Then I asked, "Then why are you in such a rush to find my medicine?"
"I," Richard stammered, his voice trailing off, clearly at a loss for words.
Not giving him a chance to say anything else, I hung up and blocked his number without hesitation.
As the cab pulled away, I stared out the window, watching the city blur past.
Richard must be freaking out right now.
On this day in my previous life, while I was napping, he stole my meds.
He took them to the pharmacy and sold them for 30,000 bucks, then immediately bought Rachel several pairs of luxury underwear.
Each pair cost 10,000, and he didn't even bat an eye.
But when I asked him to help pay for my medicine, guess what he said?
He'd said, cold as ice, "Emily, we go Dutch on everything. Your sickness is your own problem.
"I'm only pulling in 3 thousand a month, how am I supposed to pay for your pricey meds?"
How ridiculous?
He claimed he only made 3 thousand a month, but when it came to buying luxury underwear for his side chick, he didn't even feel a thing.